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FT Developer Programme Terms and Conditions

Welcome to the FT Developer Programme (Programme), operated by The Financial Times Limited (we, us, our). Through the Programme, we make available our API (API) which registered users can use to develop and operate external applications (Applications) which access and interact with content (Content) which we make available through our API at any time.

These terms set out the basis on which we make the Programme and our API available for you to use. By registering with the Programme you confirm your agreement to these terms.

Registered users

You can register either as an individual or on behalf of a corporation (or similar entity). Where you register on behalf of a corporation, you confirm that you are authorised to act on that corporation’s behalf. These terms then apply to both you and the corporation, and you and the corporation are each jointly and separately liable for compliance with these terms and any API Licence Terms.

Setting up your account

You confirm that the personal and/or corporate details you enter at registration are complete and accurate.

Unless we agree otherwise in writing:

  • you must not attempt to register with the Programme if you have previously been refused or had your access rights cancelled by us; and
  • each registered user is only permitted one account on the Programme.

Use of the API

Registration on the Programme does not automatically give you a right to use the API. To use the API, you need to be either:

  • a person to whom an API key (API Key) has been issued (a Keyholder); or
  • a person who is authorised by a Keyholder to use a particular API Key (Authorised User).

Some API Keys may be available on a self-service basis, while for others you will need to contact our licensing team at b2b.channels@ft.com to arrange a licence.

You must use each API Key only for the purposes for which it has been issued to the Keyholder, and only in accordance with these terms and the terms on which the API Key has been issued to the Keyholder (API Licence Terms). If you already have a licence which includes use of the API then the terms of that licence are the API Licence Terms. If there is any conflict or inconsistency between the API Licence Terms and these terms then the API Licence Terms prevail.

Additional tools

We may from time to time make available tools to assist developers in using and interacting with the API (API Tools). You must use the API Tools only for purposes of development, testing and support, and not for live production purposes. We may withdraw or modify any API Tool at any time, without notice.

Appointment of Authorised Users

If you are the Keyholder, you must only make the API Key available for use to Authorised Users who have a valid, in-force registration on the Programme. The Keyholder is responsible for Authorised Users’ use of the API and any API Tools, and must ensure that each Authorised User complies with these terms and the applicable API Licence Terms.

Authorised Users who are not Keyholders are not permitted to make the API Key available to other people. If further Authorised Users are required, they should be appointed by the Keyholder as set out above.

Prohibited use

You must not use the API or any API Tools to do any of the following, or include any of our Content in any application or in any context that does any of the following:

  • breach of any applicable local, national or international law or regulation;
  • any use that is unlawful or fraudulent, or has any unlawful or fraudulent purpose or effect;
  • harming or attempting to harm minors in any way;
  • sending, uploading, downloading, using or reusing any material that:
  • is defamatory, obscene, offensive, hateful, inflammatory, sexually explicit, or that promotes violence;
  • promotes discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age; or
  • threatens, harasses, abuses or invades another’s privacy;
  • infringing any copyright, database right or trade mark of any other person;
  • promoting any illegal activity;
  • impersonating any person, or misrepresenting your identity or affiliation with any person;
  • transmitting, or procuring the sending of, any unsolicited or unauthorised advertising or promotional material or any other form of similar solicitation (spam); or
  • knowingly transmitting any data, or sending or uploading any material, that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time-bombs, keystroke loggers, spyware, adware or any other harmful programs or similar computer code designed to adversely affect the operation of any computer software or hardware;
  • doing any other thing that we consider may bring us (or any other company in the Nikkei Group) into disrepute.

Non-substitution

You must not create a Substitute for FT’s own products or services. We define a Substitute as a product or service that reduces the need for users or other third parties to pay for our Content directly, or which creates revenue from our Content to the detriment of our own ability to generate revenues from that content.

You must also not use any Content for the purposes of teaching English as a foreign or additional language.

Non-endorsement

You must not use our API or any API Tools to do any of the following, or include any of FT content in any application or in any context that does any of the following:

  • stating or implying that FT promotes or endorses any third party products or services; or
  • presenting Content in a manner that suggests a website or service is owned or endorsed by the FT.

End-user access to Content

This agreement does not give the end-users of your Applications any right to access Content on FT.com. Access to that Content will depend on our access policy for FT.com at that time and on the individual user’s status (e.g. unregistered user, registered user, subscriber).

Monitoring of usage levels

We monitor how our Content is accessed and used by means of our API, including through the use of analytics code within the Content. The data we collect by means of this monitoring allows us to link the information with you and your Applications, but we do not collect any data relating to your end users by means of this monitoring. We may, however, collect data relating to your end users when they access FT.com or as set out in any Additional Terms.

Commercialising your Application

You are permitted to carry advertising in your Application that is targeted generically at your Application or its users. You are not permitted to include any advertising, sponsorship or similar third party inventory within (or in connection with) your Application that is specific to or targeted at our Content or users of our Content.

You are permitted to charge for your Application, but you must not make any additional charge to a User for access to our Content.

Complying with our instructions

You must comply with our reasonable instructions and requirements as regards your use of our API, API Tools and of any of our Content.

Indemnity

You indemnify us against any liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and losses which we suffer as a result of any use you make of our API, API Tools or Content or of our Content which is not permitted by these terms.

Ownership of Content

We (or our licensors) will remain at all times the owner of all Content, and this agreement grants you no rights over that Content other than the express licence terms set out in this agreement (including in any API Licence Terms). We reserve complete freedom in the form and content of the Content and may add to, remove or edit the Content at any time on a permanent or temporary basis and with or without notice.

Use of FT trade marks

You are permitted to use FT trade marks (Marks) only as expressly permitted in our attribution guidelines, and subject to the following conditions:

  • The Marks will remain our exclusive property.
  • All goodwill accruing from your use of the Marks will belong to us, and we may at any time call for a confirmatory assignment of that goodwill which you will immediately execute.
  • You must not now or in the future contest the validity of the Marks or take any action impairing our rights of FT in the Marks, including, without limitation, seeking to register any of the Marks as part of a composite mark or to register any confusingly similar mark.
  • You must not use any Marks in a manner which causes or is likely to cause damage to our goodwill and/or reputation or to the distinctiveness or validity of any Mark. In particular (without limitation) you must not use any Marks as part of the name or branding of your Application, or any of your other products or services.
  • You will provide, at our request and expense, all reasonable and necessary assistance in maintaining registrations or prosecuting any applications for registration in respect of the Marks.

Changes to these terms

We reserve the right to add to or change these terms at any time without notice to you by posting the amended terms on this page. We may (but are not required to) draw your attention to any amendments to these terms by email or by posting a notice on the Programme’s website. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of any such changes from time to time. Your continued use of our API, API Tools or any Content after any such changes will constitute consent to the modified terms.

Limitation of liability

Unless we agree otherwise in any API Licence Terms, our API, API Tools and Content are made available under these terms on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We do not give any warranty, condition, undertaking or term, express or implied, statutory or otherwise as to the quality, performance, durability, functionality, security, availability, freedom from viruses or any contaminating or destructive properties, or fitness for purpose of our API, API Tools or Content. All such warranties, conditions, undertakings and terms are excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Unless we agree otherwise in any API Licence Terms, we accept no liability to you for any loss or damage you may incur as a result of your use of our API, API Tools or the Content.

Nothing in these terms shall operate to exclude or restrict our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence; for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or for any liability which cannot be limited or excluded by law.

Termination

Unless we agree otherwise in any API Licence Terms, we reserve the right to terminate this agreement at any time by notice to you. We may also withdraw generally our API, API Tools or use of our Content under these terms without notice to you, in which case this agreement will terminate automatically.

You may terminate this agreement and leave the Programme at any time by deactivating your account.

Effect of termination

Upon termination of this agreement, all licences granted by us under this Agreement will immediately terminate, and you must immediately cease to use our Content and our API and API Tools. At our request, you must destroy or delete all copies of our Content in your possession or control, whether held electronically or otherwise.

Notices

Any notice must be sent by email (to FT at corporate.support@ft.com, and to you at the email address you used on the application form), and will be deemed served at the time of sending, unless the recipient receives a failure notice (in which case notices may be sent to the FT’s registered office care of the Legal Department, or to the address you used on the application form).

FT Personnel

If you are registering with the Programme to use the API in the course of your employment by us or in the course of providing services to us (FT Personnel) then the only section of these terms which applies to you is the section headed “Prohibited Use”. You must only use the API for purposes related to your duties as FT Personnel.

General

You may not assign, transfer, share or sub-license any of your rights, or sub-contract any of your obligations, under this agreement.

Nothing in this agreement will constitute or be deemed to constitute a partnership or agency relationship between the parties. Neither party will have authority or power to bind, represent, contract in the name of, or create a liability for, the other.

If we fail to act with respect to a breach of this agreement by you or others, this does not constitute a waiver and will not limit our rights with respect to that breach or any subsequent breaches. Any waiver of our rights must be in writing and signed by us.

This agreement is not intended to be enforceable by any person that is not a party to it.

Each provision of this agreement is severable and distinct from the others. If a provision of this agreement is, or becomes, to any extent illegal, invalid or unenforceable, it will to that extent be deemed not to form part of this agreement, but that will not affect the legality, validity or enforceability of any other provision of this agreement.

This agreement (including any API Licence Terms) constitutes the entire agreement between us and you relating to use of our API and API Tools, and supersedes any previous agreements between us and you relating to use of our API (other than any API and API Tools, Licence Terms).

This agreement and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter (whether contractual or non-contractual) will be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, except that (for our exclusive benefit), we retain the right to bring proceedings against you in the applicable courts of your place of business.